Old Meads Hammer Another Nail Into The Coffin Of Their Rivals

Old Parmiterians 1 Old Meadonians 3

A cursory glance at the Premier Division league table of the Amateur Football Combination would undoubtedly give a somewhat misleading impression, leading to a jaundiced view of the ultimate chances of success: for instance, five games into this new season’s fresh campaign, reigning champions, Old Meadonians, have dropped six points by drawing three of their games and to adapt or semi plagiarise Oscar Wilde, ‘to drop two points at this stage of the season might be misfortune but to drop six points smacks of carelessness’.

However, a closer inspection of the statistics underlying some of the bald facts on display is revelatory: the truth of the matter is a bit less dramatic as Meads have had to come face to face abruptly with a rash of early injuries which has laid eleven of the squad low. Yet despite this, they have risen to the occasion, are top of the table, unbeaten, a point clear of the Honourable Artillery Company and have banked a healthy goal difference of six.

To cap that, on Saturday they hammered another nail into the coffin of their last season’s arch nemesis Old Parmiterians, dishing out a 3-1 drubbing to Parms’ at their Walthamstow eerie on Saturday and, into the bargain, achieving this on their bête noire pitch , of plastic grass.

Facing down a baptism of fire this early, while it is challenging, builds confidence for coping with the inevitable end of season run in which quite often entails dealing with a packed backlog of fixtures with a tiring and, possibly diminishing squad, put under pressure by an expanding injury list. On Saturday Meads start was given a rocket of an impulse by Nick Wilson who was not going to let it be said he had not regained his cutting edge. It took him just two minutes to show a clean pair of heels to his markers on the right, attain the second prize, the goal line, cut in and skim a cut back towards Craig Jones closing in from the left.

Jones’ designs were frustrated by a defender who chose to finish the job for him by putting the ball into his own net. However, on ten minutes Meads’ injury list was further extended when Wilson limped off with a suspected broken toe for Matt Allen to come on and keep the pressure on with his pace. Ten minutes later it was two as John Shea headed in Ryan Bright’s free-kick from thirty yards out on the right.

The second half was once more one way traffic with Meads putting clear water between them and pursuit when Jones split a square defence with a slide rule pass for Stuart Holt to maintain his goal-scoring momentum by calmly committing the keeper and slotting into the bottom corner on the hour. Ten minutes later it was Jones who hobbled off with a strained hamstring for Luke Taylor to come on.

With ten minutes to go the hosts were allowed a consolation goal after Meads failed to clear a free-kick. The post match briefing was guarded but fulsome in praise for the back four for providing an impervious defensive basis for a resounding away win. The back four were jointly given the MoM award with special commendation for returnees, Jordan Mace and John Shea.
Squad: Beharie, Mace, Shea, Cain, Costello, Gowers, Timmins, Bright, Holt, Jones (Taylor), Wilson (Allen).

October 20, 2017